Unguarded Moments
by nacromanser
Summary: Della Street laughed at him. If you're going to spy on my unguarded moments you'll hear a lot worse than that. He was positively platonic.


Title:Unguarded Moments

Author: Nacromanser

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in the real world but in Fantasy  
land maybe, also im not making any money out of this (although in my  
fantasy land im very rich and beautiful and married to Hugh Jackman so  
:-))

Time frame:During TCOT Dangerous Dowager (Book Version)

Summary: A fill in the gaps of sorts between the time Drake leaves and  
Perry wakes up

Feedback: I would love feedback constructive critisism is very important  
but be gentle on me this is my first attempt at writing

Author Notes: The parts were i quote from the book are in italic and the  
rest is my own ramblings

So here it goes Enjoy

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Drake slipped his arm around her waist and said, "Gee, Della, you're a  
good kid! I wish I could get someone who had just one percent as much  
loyalty for me as you have for Perry. How does he work it?" _

_Della laughed. "Take your arm away, Paul. Experience has taught me that  
when a man sticks around my apartment about daylight, drinking Scotch  
and soda and talking about my wonderful loyalty, he's getting ready to  
go out of control." _

_Drake sighed. "I see you're a good judge of character as well as a  
darned efficient secretary. Going to kiss me good-by when I leave,  
Della?" _

_"No. If I did you wouldn't leave." _

_" Well," Drake said, "there's no harm in asking. I'll drop in at the  
office later on and give you all the dirt I can dig up. So long, Della,  
and thanks for the drink." _

_"Don't forget that bottle of Scotch," she told him as she closed the  
door behind him. _

_Perry Mason stepped out from behind the screen where he had been  
sitting. "The big palooka, trying to kiss my secretary! Where the hell  
does he get that nerve?" _

_Della Street laughed at him. "If you're going to spy on my unguarded  
moments you'll hear a lot worse than that. He was positively platonic." _

_"And padding his expense account," Mason grinned. "So that's why his  
expenses are so big. Hand over that bottle of Scotch. If you're going to  
get another one on the expense account I might as well make a hole in  
this one."  
_

"I think I'll join you. This case has surely given me a headache" she  
said.

She heard him chuckle in response as she went to her kitchen to get the  
glasses.

But when she came back she found him drinking directly from the bottle  
and looking intently at her apartment floor. A small smile crept on her  
face as she stopped to study his features. He had taken off his suit  
jacket, vest and tie, rolled up his shirt sleeves and loosened a few  
buttons from his shirt to reveal a hint of his powerfull chest. His hair  
was slightly mussed from his fingers going through it every now and then  
leaving a stubborn lock of soft dark brown hair shadowing his  
foreheard,added to the light stubble that covered his face. All in all,  
she thought he looked beautiful.

She didn't move. She just stood there taking in the sight of him sitting  
in front of her. Although they had worked together for over 3 years, it  
was the first time that she saw him looking so casual and tired. She  
always thought that he could go non-stop for days searching thinking  
fighting but his tiredness tonight didn't disappoint her. On the  
contrary, she found it very endearing.

She was lost in her reverie and didn't notice him also looking at her,  
not with the hard piercing look he usually directed at people but with  
another much softer but yet deeper look. A slight smile tugged at his  
lips as their eyes met for a moment.

She kept the eye contact for another second and then turned away  
blushing slightly breaking the moment. She couldn't handle that look on  
his face -- it enticed her yet scared her at the same time

"So much for manners in a lady's house," she said laughing nervously  
pointing at the bottle in his right hand while putting the glasses on  
the table.

"Well, accept my humble apologies, dear lady," he said smiling. His  
voice was a little hoarse.

"I may just do that" she said pouring two stiff drinks. "And to what are  
we drinking, by the way?"

"To Matilda Benson. She is a very intersting lady, " he said taking a  
big gulp of his drink.

"I bet she is intersting -- leaving you in a sweet spot. And about the  
case, Chief, I think you should..." she stopped as his hand gently  
caught hers across the table.

"I don't want to talk about the case right now, Della. It can wait until  
tomorow."

She was still silent looking at their joined hands and feeling his hand  
kneading hers gently but then again not so gently. His hand was rough,  
large, and strong. She wondered how can a lawyer even as unusual as  
Perry Mason could have hands like those. Their roughness reflected hard  
manual work.

" What do you want to talk about then?" she asked almost whispering,  
lifting her eyes to meet his.

" Your unguarded moments," he said grinning.

"That is stricly confidential, " she answered him in a mocking, warning  
tone.

He again chuckled softly and said "What else do you have in mind?"

His hands were continuing their ministrations, gently massaging her  
fingers, her palms, just about touching her wrists and then back to her  
fingers.

For a moment her mind was dazed from the sensations of his fingers  
brought to her. She never thought that hands could cause so...GET A  
GRIP, DELLA! The rational part of her mind chided her yet she couldn't  
take her hands back.

"Della? " his voice called through the fog of her thoughts in the same  
gentel tone that she was unfamiliar with. DAMN IT. WHAT IS HE DOING TO  
ME?

" I can't think of anything in particular" she said drawing a soft,  
shaky breath "I CAN'T THINK AT ALL," she thought.

"Me either. I'm not much of a small talker myself " he said still  
smiling.

"There is always the weather. It is rather nice tonight." she said  
sneaking a look at the open window. It revealed a the star-studded night  
sky and a half moon.

She didn't get an answer from him. She lowered her head and looked at  
him. He was completely occupied with her hands. The small smile on his  
lips now faded. The alarms in her head were going off full force now.  
She closed her eyes. Her face flushed. The sensations were too much to  
bear.

"Perry?" She didn't know how she said it, but she did. It took her three  
years to do it. It's really awkward to work with someone so closely and  
not have the courage to simply call him by his first name.

He answered her with a small smile and soft questioning look appeared in  
his eyes but still didn't raise his head fully he didn't want to break  
the moment, The mention of his first name didn't just pass by him it  
registered in his mind.

He never really understood it their relationship sometimes they were  
very comfortable around one another but yet other times tension builds  
to an almost unbearable degree as it was happening now, He knew he had  
to stop but yet something was holding him back his turmoil lasted a few  
moments but then slowly he stilled his hands holding hers for another  
second then he released them saying

"I think i should go now, i need to have an early start tommorow im  
going to try and end this fiasco" he ended his line standing up slowly

Della mentaly sighed in releif, let out a nervous chuckle and stood up  
slowly mimicking his movements and asked "Got it all figured out?"

"Not really but i have some ideas"

"Would you like to share them?"

"I will ofcourse Della but not tonight tommorow is another day so..." he  
said as he moved to stand by the door to the adjoining appartment

"so.." she answered standing close to him

"Goodnight Della and thank you" he said pointing to the door

"Goodnight cheif" she said and before she could stop herself she stood  
on tiptoe leaned close, so close he caught the scent of her delicate  
perfume he closed his eyes and then she brushed her lips with his in a  
gentle kiss that last a few tingling moments then she was gone.

He heard the clinking of glass and the sound of graceful footsteps, he  
opened his eyes a smile broke on his lips and then he turned arround  
slowly opened the door

and disappeared inside closing it softly behind him.


End file.
